| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Katahdin - Baxter Peak (attempt), ME |
|
 | Trails: |
Abol Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 14, 2018 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Snowmobiled to Abol Campground lot. Baxter State Park is closed to motor vehicles this time of year. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction, Ice Axe |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
n/a |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
None to report. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Best to leave Fido at home - even if dogs were allowed. |
|
 | Bugs: |
n/a |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Obtained the necessary winter hiking permit a couple weeks ahead of time from the Baxter State Park ranger office. Snowmobiled to the Abol Campground lot. It was literally 1 degree. Saw no one while hiking but there were 2-4 people camping in the lean-tos and we saw their tracks on the Abol trail (and heard them once in the distance) - they started 45 min before us according to the sign-in sheet. Those people used crampons on the snowy trial and post-holed all the way to the slide - sometimes waist deep. We used snowshoes on the trail and the flotation was a plus in avoiding the post-holes. We switched to crampons at the slide. This was a day after the 2-3 very mild temp days and the rocks on the slide were exposed - but icy in spots. There was too much ice for barebooting, but the crampons were slight overkill and we had to be very cautious with them on the rocks. Spikes would >not< be good because the rocks would shred the chains. The slide was slow going and we stuck to our turnaround time about 7ths of a mile below the tabletop ridge in order to get back to the snowmobiles by dark. The mountain will be there for another day! |
|
 | Name: |
TheGingerHiker |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2018-01-15 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
|
